Senior Farm and Ranch Broadcaster, Ron Hays, is featuring comments from Farm Director KC Shepherd’s interview with Veterinarian Dr. Troy Shelby about the impacts of heat on cattle.
Shelby performs veterinary services for the Oklahoma National Stockyards each week and at the Southern Oklahoma Livestock Market out of Ada. Shelby is a southcentral Oklahoma Cattle producer and the current Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association president-elect.
As heat is hard on cattle, Shelby said shade and water should be of top priority. Working animals in the heat of the day, Shelby added, can also increase stress.
In southcentral Oklahoma, where Shelby ranches, he said the drought hit them hard, but recent rains have made a big difference.
“Here about a month ago, we started catching some pretty good runoff and some big rains, and it has gotten a lot better,” Shelby said. “We have got adequate levels of water, but sometimes the quality is not too good when you get this hot weather, you get some stagnant water, some algae growth, and those types of things.”
Algae blooms, Shelby added, can lead to toxicity issues in cattle.
“One thing you have always got to be cognizant of in the summer is anaplasmosis,” Shelby said. “You need to be sure that you have some kind of a program to prevent anaplasmosis.”
Having a program to prevent parasites, Shelby said, is also important, as external parasites such as flies can cause a great deal of stress for cattle.
Along with these recent rains, foot rot can also be an issue, Shelby said, because wet conditions can soften up the feet and create a route for infection.
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